Derrick Brown has some company in ESPN’s “Honorable Mention” section.
After the Carolina Panthers big man just missed out on the worldwide leader’s list of the top 10 NFL defensive tackles, teammate Jaycee Horn experienced the same fate at his position. Headed by senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler—with the help of various league executives, staffers, coaches and players—the rankings left the talented 23-year-old behind.
But, hey, at least it came with a little praise. His excerpt reads:
Injuries over his first two years affected his voting, but he’s a top-10 talent. “Athletic, long, ball skills, can run, competitive — more upside than almost anyone,” a lead personnel man for an AFC team said.
Unfortunately for Horn, he’s missed more games than he’s played to start his pro career. From a broken foot to a broken wrist, freak injuries have caused him to miss 17 of a possible 33 outings for Carolina.
Nonetheless, he has proved that he’s worthy for his consideration on this list in the 16 contests he did suit up for. Per Pro Football Focus, Horn has limited opponents to 29 catches, 318 yards and just one touchdown over 47 targets—good enough for a 48.4 passer rating against.
And for those keeping score at home, Denver’s Patrick Surtain II—who was selected right after Horn in the 2021 draft—took the No. 1 spot in these rankings.
